Discussion

Seattle: Great casual places for 20 somethings?

Hey, a friend and myself are coming down to Seattle for Bumbershoot and we are looking for some great places to eat. We are in our 20s and live in an expensive resort town so we don't have the most money to spend. However we do both enjoy great food, i'm a chef by trade and often find the holes in the wall to be the best places anyways. If anyone has any cool places to go eat that would be great. I've heard Serious Pie is good pizza, worth taking a look? Thanks a lot in advance!

We like the pizza at Veraci, 5th & Market Street. Creative and tasty use of local ingredients (some allow as how this excludes them from the "certified" party, though I never eat those, anyway) and It's wood oven bakes hot and fast, and usually does not suffer the lamentable sog-of-middle that some enjoy (de gustibus non est disputandum). I folded mine, and enjoyed that, too. I always look forward to learning what principles I am violating with my enjoyment, so, hounds - please do bark for me. Another (obstrepoous?) favorite - not pizza, but sold in a "certified" "pizza" joint - is Tutta Bella's 'pizza ensalata,' particularly the Solerno. Their pies are often limp and sad, but for these salad-dishes, they cook the base to a delightfully caramelized, slightly chewy, firmness, that complements and supports the salads well. The Salerno (nearly Caprese) is a delight in summer. Flip off that pizza-critic switch for a moment and eat one. Nice.

You know all of you who love to recommend Paseo on every post, I agree with you here. Paseo is a sandwich shop in Fremont that based on your description, I think you'd love (a perfect hole in the wall kind of place)

I'd also recommend wandering around Chinatown until you find something that strikes your fancy (I have some favorites, but I think alot of that is based on personal preference. I mean, for example, I'd hate to recommend some of the Hong Kong-ish places to someone who doesn't go that way. And some of stuff at say, at say, Ft. St. George isn't gonna appeal to everyone...) Alot of different kinds of interesting food down there at great prices.

Oddly, I'd also say the same thing about all the restaurants around the Leary & Market corner of Ballard. Alot of great choices based on what you like. Some of the favorites around there are La Carta de Oaxaca, Senor Moose, La Isla, Ocho, Kings.

Lunchbox Lab might be a good one for you too. Chef owned place serving up fancy creative burgers. He tried his hand at a more formal restaurant thing (i vaguely recall an episode of a FoodNetwork or TLC show about it...am i crazy?), but after some health problems moved on to this. Might be cool to see for a young chef like yourself.

You'll find great chow in the neighborhoods - Ballard, Capitol Hill and International District especially.

In Ballard, try Carte de Oaxaca for regional Mexican food, Ocho for tapas and libations, and Paseo on Shilshole Ave for Carribean-inspired sandwiches close to the beach. This neighborhood is especially great for twenty somethings - lots of local pubs and live music options if you want to escape Bumbershoot for an evening. Enjoy!